Road grading attachment



May 22, 1956 J. M. MOLENE ETAL ROAD GRADING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 20. 1953 IN V EN TORI)` F. MN 0W MP du MM EB. DD. w

May 22, 1956 J. M. MOLENE ETAL ROAD GRADING ATTACHMENT Filed April 20, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mb .mm W A A T- ,4770/2A/EK May 22, 1956 J. M. MOLENE: ErAL ROAD GRADING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 20, 1955 A. CNL f MMNMW V/ W 7 mwm, 4 MA MM @D United States Patent O ROAD GRADING ATTACHMENT Jude M.'Molene and Desaix B. Martin, Des Moines, Iowa Application April 20, 1953,` Serial No. 349,714

2 Claims. (Cl. 37-153) 'Ilhis invention relates generally to road drags or graders and in particular to a road grading attachment for a vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved road grading attachment for a vehicle.

A fur-ther object of this invention is to provide a road grading attachment whichv includes a series of longitudinally spaced scraper blades'arranged to direct the road material scraped thereby to a rearwardly located leveler blade which is mounted for a oating up and down movement relative to the scraper blades.

A further object of this'invention is to provide a road grading attachment for a'vefhicle which includes ram-p means to provide for the vehicle fron-t wheels being driven to a position wit-hin the con-fines of the' attachment for ready assembly of the attachment on the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to vprovide a road grading attachment having a transverse leveler blade mounted so as to be horizontally movable to reversely inclined transverse positions vand a pair of rearwardly converged scraper blades arranged forwardly of the leveler blade and adjustably mounted for relative horizontal movement to positions to direct the material scraped thereby toward a forward portion of the leveler blade.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a road grading attachment which is rugged in construction, eiiicient in operati-on and readily assembled on a supporting vehicle.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a road grader attachment of this invention shown in assembly relation with a road maintaining machine of a well known type, commonly referred to as a patrol unit;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the road grading attachment of this invention with parts broken away for the purpose of clarity;

Figs. 3 and 4 are reduced perspective views of the road grading attachment of this invention with' some parts broken away and others shown in section for the purpose of more clearly showing the construction thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevational view ofthe rear portion of the road grader attachment of this invention; Y j

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of astructure Von the patrol unit providing for the mounting of the rear end portion of theV road grader attachment of this invention on the patrol unit; and v Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the leveler blade -as seen `along Ithe line 7-7 in Fig. 4. l

With reference to the drawing, the road grading attachment'of this invention, indicated generally a-t 10, is shown Ain Fig. 1 in assembly relation with a patrol unit 11,'-of

a Vwell known type. The patrol-inuit 11 consists of a-main frame/12 having a pa'ir'of front wheels` 13,*a-set ofrear rtraction wheels 14 and an operators ca'b'1f6. vA pair of 'ber 43 so as to provide an Patented May 22, 1956 rice gear housings 17, only one of which is shown, are arranged lat opposite `sides of the front of the cab 16, with each Ywell known manner, to both rais-e and lower and swing such road engaging member in a direction transversely of the patrol unit 11.

Mounted on a front portion of the main -frafme 12 (Fig. l) is a snow plow attachment, indicated generally at 24, which includes a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extended mounting arms 25 secured to opposite :sides of the main frame 12. Projected downwardly from the front ends of the mounting arms 25, at positions between Lthe front wheels 13, are a pair of upright leg members 28 which are maintained in a transversely spaced relation `by ya connecting member 29. The legs 28 4'are secured to 'the main frame 12 Kby a transverse rod member 31 carried in =a tubular support 23, Iformed as a part of the main frame 12. The opposite ends of the rod member 31 are projected through rearwardly extended projections 30 on the upright legs 2S. Carried between the upper ends ot the legs 28 is a hollow casing and spacer member 32 through which is extended a rock shaft 33 provided at its opposite ends with rock arms y34 which are arranged outwardly of the legs 2S. A gear reduction unit 36 is mounted at one end of the cas'ing member `32 for operation by -a drive shaft 37 v to move the rock shaft 33 for swinging the rock arms y34 in an up and down direction. As will appear later, the road grading attachment '10 is supported by the rock `arms 34 and the circle 22 'to provide for the raising and lowering of the attachment as a unit or for the selective raising and lowering of the lfront or rear ends of the attachment. v

The road grading attachment 10 (Figs. 2, 3 `and 4) consists of a main frame 39 which includes a pair of longitudinally extended transversely spaced parallel side frame 'members 41 and 42 which are maintained in a spaced v41 and 42 `and adjacent their rear ends 52 to the underside-of 'the front transverse` connecting member 43. The rear ends 52- of the blades 47 are positioned in a transversely spaced relation rearwardly Iof the connecting .mem-

opening or space 53 between such rear ends 52.

The intermediate blades 49 are arranged in a forwardly converged V-formation with the front ends of the blades secured together by a triangular gusset plate 54. The

blades 49 are attached substantially midway between their endsto the underside of a central portion of the intermediatetransverse connecting member 44, with the rear ends of the blades 49- arranged in a spaced relation with the adjacent side frame members 41 and 42 so as to provide openings or spaces 56 between the side frame members 41 and 42 and -the adjacent rear ends of the blades 49.

The rear scraper blades 48a and 48h are arranged below the side frame members 41 and 42 and rear connectingnmb'er` 46 and are pivotally connected adjacent their front ends by upright pivot members 47 to the side frame members 42 and 41, respectively, with the pivots 57 `being at positions intermediate the transverse connecting members 44 and 46. By virtue of the pivotal supports 57, the blades 48a and 48h are transversely movable in horizontal planes between adjusted positions A, indicated in Fig. 2 in solid lines Afor the blade 48a, and dotted lines for the blade 4819, and positions B indicated in dotted lines for the blade 48a and 'solid lines for the blade 48h. Bolts or pins 5S are extended through the rear transverse connecting member 46 and the blades 48a and 4,8b, adjacent the rear ends 59 of such blades, to maintain the blades 48a and 48h in their adjusted positions. The rear ends 59 of the blades 48a and 48h are 4transversely spaced andV positioned rearwardly of the rear connecting member 46 so as to provide a space 61 between such rear ends in both positions A and B of the blades 48a and 48b.

It can thus be seen that the arrangement of 'the scraper blades 47, 48a and 4812 and 49 on the main frame 39 provides for the alternate arrangement of forwardly diverging blades and forwardly converging blades in a spaced relation longitudinally of the frame 39.

The main frame 39 is provided with a rearwardly projected frame extension 63, which includes a pair of side frame members 64 and 66 pivotally secured at their front ends to the rear ends 62 of the frame members 41 and 42 by means of pivot assemblies 67 (Figs. 2 andV 5). Since the pivot assemblies 67 are identical, only the assembly 67 of the main frame side member 41 and the frame extension side member 66 will be described in detail.

A pivot assembly 67 (Fig. 5) includes a pair of upright transversely spaced plate members 68 secured to the top `side of the main frame side member 41, and having rear end portions 69 thereof projected slightly rearwardly from the rear end 62 of the side member 41. The plates 68 are connected together at their front ends by an upright transverse member or plate 71 having an upper portion 72 extended above the plate members 68 and provided with an opening (not shown) for a purpose to later appear.

Secured to and projected upwardly from the top side of the frame extension `side member 66 and at the front end 73 thereof, is an upright plate or hinge member 74 having a portion thereof positioned between Ethe plate members 68. A pivot member 76, arranged directly above the juncture 75 of the side frame members 41 and 66, extends transversely through the plate members 63 and the hinge member 74jto provide for an up and down pivotal movement of the extension side memberV 6,6 relj ative to the side member 41 of the main frame 39. Pivotaliy connected to the top end of the hinge member 74 and extended forwardly therefrom is an adjustable arm 77 having a threaded shank 78 extended through the hole (not shown) in the top portion 72 of the transverse plate 71. Threadably received on the shank 78 are a pair of nuts 79 and S1 arranged on oppositesides of the portion 72 of the transverse plate 71.

lt can thus be seen that the frame extension side member 66 is pivotally movable in up and down direction about the pivot member 76 and relative to the main frame side member 41, with the engagement ofthe nut 81, on the threaded shank 78, with the portion 72 of the transverse plate 71 limiting the upward movement of the extension side frame member 66 relative to the main frame side member 41. By virtue of the location of the pivot 76 at the junction 75, the lowermost position of the frame extension side member 66 is defined by the abutting engagement of the front end thereof with the rear end 62 of the side frame member-*41. The up and down movement of the extension side member 66 ina vertical plane is maintained by the provision of `a pair of guide plates 82 'welded to the rear end '62 of the mem- V' ber 41 and projected rearwardly therefrom in a straddling relation with the front end 73 of the extension member 66. The nut 79 is normally spaced away from the plate 71, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit the abutting engagement of the members 41 and 66. However, when it is desired to hold the frame extension side member 66 in a raised position relative to the main frame side member 41, the nut 79 is tightened against the portion 72 of the plate 71 to a desired adjusted position.

The pivot assemblies 67 are arranged opposite each other so that the pivot members 76 of the assemblies 67 are in alignment transversely of `the main frame 39. It can thus be seen that the main frame extension 63- is pivotally movable as a unit in an up and down direction about the pivot members 76 and relative to the main frame 39.

The frame extension 63 (Figs. 2 and 4) supports an upright leveler blade 83 which is attached at its ends S4, by upright bolts or the like 86, lto the. undersides of the frame extension side members 64 and 66. Intermediate its ends 84, the blade 83 is pivotally attached to the rear end of a supporting arm 87 by a vertically extended pivot member 88. The front end of the arm 87 is pivotally secured by a horizontal pivot member 89 to a central portion of the rear transverse connecting member 46, with the front portion 90 of the arm 87 (Fig. 6) being laterally upwardly Votlset for a purpose to later appear.

By virtue of the pivotal support of the leveler blade S3 on the rear end of the supporting arm 87, the leveler blade 83 is swingable in a horizontal plane between a pair of adjusted positions C and D, with the position C being illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2, and position D in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The frame extension side members 64 and 66 are, therefore, formed with longitudinally spaced openings for selectively receiving the blade supporting bolts 86 toprovide for the movement of the leveler blade 83 to its adjusted positions C .and D.

it vcan thus be seen that the main frame extension 63 and the leveler blade 83 are pivotally movable as a unit in an up and down direction about the pivot members 76 and S9. In addition, the leveler blade 83 is mounted for vadjustable pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, to

either one of a pair .of reversely inclined positions C and D.

In the assembly of the'road grading attachment 10 on the patrol unit 11, the attachment 10 is arranged on the ground forwardly of the patrol unit 11 so that the rear end of the frame extension 63 is adjacent the patrol unit front wheels 13'. The bolts 86, for maintaining the leveler blade 83 is an adjusted position on the main frame extension 63, and the pivot bolt '88 are then removed, and the leveler blade 83 is detached from the attachment 10. y y

To facilitate the assembly of the attachment 10 on the patrol unit 11, a pair of longitudinally extended plates or track members 91 (Figs. V2, 3 and 4) are secured to and extended lbetween the rear transverse Iconnecting member 46 and the intermediate transverse connecting member 44. The track members 91 are arranged parallel to the main frame Vside members 41 and 42, in a spaced relation correspending to the spacing of the patrol unit front wheels 13. A pair of ramp members 92 are arranged on the rear ends of the track members 91. Holes are formed atrthe front and rear ends` of the track members 91 for alignment with corresponding holesr in the ramp members 92, so that'pins 96 may be freely inserted in the aligned holes to Ymaintain a ramp 92 inposition on a track member 91.

With the leveler blade 83 removed and the ramp members 92 mounted Von the rear ends of the track members 91, the front wheels 13 of the patrol unit 11 are driven up the inclined ramp members 92 to supported positions on the track-members 91. The pins 96 are thenwithdrawn and the vrampmembers 92 are removed from the rear'ends of the tracks 91 and arrangedon the front ends of the v trackmembers 91. The r'front wheels of the patrol unit 11 are then-advanced forwardly onthe track Amembers 91 off the front ends thereof and down the inclined ramps 92 to positions between the main frame side members 41 and 42 and the main frame transverse connecting members 43 and 44 (Fig. 2). The ramps 92 are then removed.

It can thus be seenthat the ramp members 92 along with the track members 91 constitute a continuous ramp means for the travel of the front wheels 13 of the patrol unit 11 over the transverse connecting members 44 and 46 and corresponding blades 49 and 48a and 48h, respectively, to their positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2..

The front end of the attachment is then supported from the patrol unit 11 by a pair of chains 97, secured at their lower ends 98 to the front transverse connecting member 43, and attached at their upper ends 99 to the rock arms 34 (Fig. l) of the snow plow attachment 24. A second pair of chains 101 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured at their lower ends 102 to the front transverse connecting member 43, vare arranged in a criss-cross relation and attached at their upper ends to the lower ends of the upright legs 28 of the snow plow attachment 24 for limiting the side sway of the grading attachment 10 relative to the patrol unit 11.

The rear end of the road grading attachment 10 is supported from the patrol unit 11 by the provision of a pair of transversely spaced mounting structures 103 (Figs. 2 and 6) secured to and projected rearwardly from the rear transverse connecting member 46 at positions between the track members 91. A mounting structure 103 (Fig. 6) consists of a pair of horizontal vertically spaced supporting plates 104 and 106, secured at their rear ends to the rear transverse connecting member 46. A front upright bearing plate 107 is connected between intermediate portions of the supporting plates 104 and 106 at a position adjacent to the connecting member 46. Spaced rearwardly from the bearing plate 107 is a removable rear upright bearing plate 10S, which has an upright tubular sleeve member 111 secured to the rear side thereof. The rear bearing plate 108 and its associated sleeve member 111 are loosely received between the supporting plates 104 and 106 and are maintained between the plates 104 and 106 and in a spaced relation with the front bearing plate 107 by an upright pin 112 which extends through the supporting plates 104 and 106 and the tubular sleeve member 111. For facilitating the insertion and removal of the pin 112 from the sleeve 111, a transversely extended handle or rod member 113 is secured to the top end of the pin 112. It can thus be seen that on removal of the pin 112 from the sleeve 111, the rear bearing plate 108 and sleeve 111 are removable as ya unit from their positions between the supporting plates 104 and 106.

As best appears in Fig. 6, the patrol unit ring member 22 is provided with a pair of spaced downwardly projected arms 116 which carry at their lower ends a transversely extended cylindrical bar member 117, having end portions 118 projected outwardly from the arms 116. The ring member 22 and arms 116 form part of the usual scraper attachment for the patrol unit 11. With the rear bearing plates 108 removed from the mounting structures 103, the projected end portions 118 of the bar 117 are positioned between the supporting plates 104 and 106 and against the front bearing plates 107 so that the ring member arms 116 are located between and in contact engagement with an adjacent mounting structure 103. As previously described the ring member 22 is adjustably movable up and down on the patrol unit 11, and it is such adjustment which provides for the assembly of the bar ends 118 within the mounting structures 103. The plates 108 and sleeves 111 are then assembled between the support plates 104 and 106 to maintain the end portions 118 of the bar 117 between the plates 104 and 106 of the mounting structures 103.

With the bar 117 thus arranged relative to the mounting structures 103, and below the front offset portion 90 of the blade supporting arm 87, it can be seen that upon raising ofthe ring member 22,' the' end portions' 118 of the bar 117 engage the top plates 104 of themounting structures 103 so as to raise the rear end of the attachment 10. However, with the attachment 10 in a normal ground engaging position, the bar end portions 118 are arranged intermediate the support plates 104 and 106 so that the rear end of the grading attachment 10 is mounted for a limiting up and down movement relative to the transverse bar 117 as dened by the engagement of the bar end portions 118 with the support plates 104 and 106. It is to be noted also that the operation of the ring member 22 to raise the rear end of the attachment 10 facilitates the mounting of the leveler blade 83 on the main frame extension 63.

With the road grading attachment 10 thus mounted on the patrol unit 11, the patrol unit 11 is driven in a forward direction so that the scraper blades 47, 48a and 48h and 49 operate to scrape or grade a road surface. The road surface material which is scraped loose by the scraper blades 47 (Fig. 2) is directed rearwardly and inwardly ofthe road grading attachment 10 as a result of the rearwardly converging relation of the scraper blades 47, to the space 53 between the rear ends 52 of the blades 47. To prevent this scraped road material from passing rearwardly over the top sides of the blades 47, and accumulating in the spaces 119 between the blades 47 and the front transverse connecting member 43, a pair of upright mold boards 121 (Fig. 3) are secured to the top sides of the blades 47 and extended between the front ends of the frame side members 41 and 42 and the transverse connecting member 43. A pair of mold boards 122 secured to the front side of the front transverse connecting member 43 at positions between the mold boards 121 are provided with downwardly and rearwardly inclined front faces 123 to direct the travel of the scraped material under theV transverse connecting member 43 and through the space 53 between the blade rear ends 52.

The scraped material (Fig. 2) after passing through the space 53, is directed outwardly and rearwardly, by the rearwardly diverged intermediate pair of blades 49, through the spaces 56 between the blades 49 and the main frame side members 41 and 42. After passing through the spaces 56, the scraped material contacts the front ends of the rear pair of rearwardly converged blades 48a and 48h, so as to be again directed rearwardly and inwardly of the grading attachment 10 and into the space 61 provided between the rear ends 59 of the blades 48a and 48h. To prevent this material from passing over the top sides of the blades 48a and 48h and accumulating in the spaces 126 between the blades 48a and 481) and the rear transverse connecting member 46, a pair of upright mold boards 127 (Figs. 3 and 4) are secured to the top sides or the blades 48a and 48h.

From the space 61, the scraped material contacts the leveler blade 83. In order to utilize as much of the leveler blade S3 as possible for leveling purposes assume that it is desired to direct the scraped material along the leveler blade 83 toward the left of the attachment 10, as viewed in Fig. 2. The leveler blade 83 is arranged in its solid line position C shown in Fig. 2 in which the blade 83 is inclined rearwardly and to the left, and the bolts 86 are inserted in the side members 64 and 66 to maintain the leveler blade 83 in this position. For this position of the leveler blade 83, the scraper blades 48a and 48h are in their positions A and B, respectively, shown in Fig. 2 so as to cooperate in directing the scraped material from the blades 48a and 48h toward the front or leading end of the leveler blade S3. Thus the scraped material is moved along substantially the entire length of the leveler blade 83 so as to obtain a maximum leveling action for the blade 83.

Similarly, if it is desired to direct the scraped material toward the right side of the attachment 10, as viewed in Fig. 2, the leveler blade 83 is arranged in its dotted line position D and the rear pair of scraper blades 48a and 48b are arranged in their positions B and A, respectively,A so as to again direct the loose road material toward the front or leading end of the leveler blade 83,

By virtue of the pivotal mounting of the frame extension 613 on the pivots 76 and the mounting of the leveler blade 83 on the pivot S9, the blade 83 is free to float up and down relative to the main frame 39 so as to effectively level and spread the road surface material directed to it by the rear pair of scraper bladesv 48a and 48h. The blade S3 thus automatically moves up and down in response to the amount of material to be leveled, and is without any effective scraping action. A pair of mold boards 12S 4 and 7) having upright front sides 128 and downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear sides 129 are secured to the top side of the leveler blade S3 on opposite sides of the pivotal support 88 for the blade 83, so as to prevent the material contacted by the blade 83 from passing over the top side of the blade 83.

Since the leveler blade 83 and the scraper blades 47,

48a. 43h and 49 are of a similar construction, only the f leveler blade 33 will be described in detail. With reference to Fig. 7, the leveler blade 83 includes a supporting angle member 131 having a lat horizontal leg 132 and a curved leg 133 extended downwardly from the front end of the leg 132. A blade member 134 having a concave working face 136 is secured to the front side of the angle member leg 133, with the shape of the angle member leg 133 conforming to the contour of the blade 134 to provide for the ready assembly of the blade 134 on the angle member leg 133.

To provide for the shipping of the grader attachment 1d in a minimum of shipping space, the attachment 10 is initially constructed in a pair of longitudinally extended sections which are secured together before the attachment is used. Each of the transverse connecting members 43, 44 and 45 are formed with a pair of corresponding parts of equal length with horizontal plates 141, only one of which is shown for each of the members 43, 44 and 46 being provided for securing the adjacent inner ends of the parts together, in the assembly of attachment 19. The plates 141 are secured, by welding or the like, at one of their ends to one of the parts and, on assembly of the attachment 10, are secured to the adjacent end of the corresponding part by bolts or the like 142.

From the above description, it is seen that this invention provides a road grading attachment 10 which includes a leveler blade 83 mounted for up and down oating movement rearwardly of the scraper blades 47, 48a and 48:5 and 49 to provide for an effective leveling action of the leveler blade 33. The tracks 91 and the ramp members 92 are provided so that the attachment 10 can be readily arranged for assembly on the patrol unit 11. The horizontally adjustable mounting of the rear scraper blades 48a and 48b and the leveler blade 83 provides for a cooperative action of the rear scraper blades 48a and, 48h and the leveler blade 83 tov obtain a maximum leveling action of the blade 83. Y

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within-thefull intended scope of this invention as de ned by the appended claims.

We claim: Y

1. A road grader attachment adapted to be moved along a road surface for leveling the same comprising a longitudinally extended main frame, scraper blades mounted on said frame, with said blades being arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs, with the forward and rear pairs being arranged in a forwardly diverged relation and an intermediate pair being forwardly converged, a rearwardly projected frame extension, a leveler blade adiustably mounted on said frame extension for movement in a horizontal plane between a pair of reversely inclined positions, with said main frame and-saidy frame extensionV being movably connected together for up and down movement of said extension relative to said main frame and with said rear pair of scraper blades being horizontally adjustably mounted on said frame for directing earth scraped by said scraper blades toward the forward end cf said leveler blade.

2. A road grader attachment adapted to be moved along a road surface for leveling the same comprising a longitudinally extended main frame, scraper blades mounted on said main frame and arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs, with the forward and rear pairs being arranged in a forwardly diverged relation and an intermediate pair in a forwardly converged relation, a rearwardly projected frame extension, means movably connecting said frame extension to said frame for up and down movement of said extension relative to said main frame, a leveler blade movably mounted on and positioned rearwardly of `said main frame for up and down movement relative thereto, means releasably attaching said leveler blade to said extension for up and down movement therewith, and coacting adjustable stop means on said main frame and said extension for limiting relative movement thereof between predetermined stop positions.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

